Wedding Season Dressing

It’s that time of the year again. That time when the wedding season is on us and everyone is throwing lavish parties to commemorate the coming together of two people. After all, it’s the wedding that people care about, the marriage is only secondary.

Dressing up for the wedding season can be a tricky business. You have to keep in mind the latest trends in the dressing up business, the budget you have, your hair, your make up etc etc. Here are some pointers to help you through this hectic season.

The number of functions

If a close relative is getting married, you will most probably be expected to attend all the functions ranging from the sangeet to the mehendi to the actual ceremony and the reception afterwards. Keeping this is mind, you’ll have to decide what you’ll wear to each function and shop accordingly. If it is an invite to only one ceremony when an acquaintance is tying the knot, your job will be easier. Also remember that you may receive more than one invite in the wedding season (you probably will, actually) and then see how many of your dresses you can repeat.

Dress according to your relationship with the bride or groom

Seriously, you don’t want to repeat your own ornate wedding reception lehanga at a distant relative’s friend’s sister’s wedding. How heavy and elaborate your wedding attire is should be dependent upon how close you are to the people getting married. The gorgeous anarkali that you wear to your best friend’s sangeet may make you stand out when you attend a distant acquaintance’s wedding party. If you don’t know the bride or groom personally and are attending the wedding only in the capacity of a ‘with family’ invite, a nice kurti with simple jewellery will do nicely. On the other hand, if you are a close relative, you will have to dress up more elaborately.

Wear whatever looks good on you

Now it’s all too easy to get carried away with the latest fashion trends and end up in a costume that is totally unsuitable for your body type or coloring, so don’t make that same mistake. As has very famously been said- trends come and go, style is eternal. So choose a dress that looks good on you in a color that brings out the best in you, instead of following garish and gaudy designs and trends. Long kurtis might be all the rage, but if they don’t look good on you then what is the point? Keep it classy in a saree or suit or dress or lehenga that makes you look good.

Accessorise yourself right

Now is the time to open your bank lockers and air all that expensive jewellery and heirloom necklaces. The wedding season is the best time to show off your wedding jewels- the rubies, the diamonds, the sapphires and the family gold and silver. But don’t go overboard and wear everything at once. Keep the heavy sets for the functions of your more intimate relatives. If your dress is heavily embroidered and heavy, keep the jewellery to a minimum- maybe just a pair of earrings and some bangles. If, on the other hand, you want your stunning jewellery to be the centre of the show, make sure you wear clothes that let your gemstones do the talking. And also, very importantly, if you are travelling with your jewels for an outstation wedding, please make sure that you have proper security arrangements in place.

Dress according to the season

Dressing up for winter weddings can be a tough task. How do you wear your beautiful backless cholis and chiffon sarees without freezing to death? Well, it may be worth your while to take a little bit of cold in exchange of looking good. If it is too cold, don’t worry. Bring out a cardigan or a smart jacket that goes with your attire. You may want to keep the look wholly traditional by opting for a warm shawl too. For guys, it is the best time to show off their smart blazers and mufflers.

Footwear

Weddings probably mean a lot of standing around and greeting people. Most big fat Punjabi weddings also mean dancing till the wee hours of the morning. For this very reason, you may want to ensure that your footwear is comfortable as well as stylish. Skip the very high heels unless and until you are very sure about being able to wear them for long periods of time without breaking your back. For functions like the sangeet especially, which will involve dancing, skip the heels. Your footwear should match your bag, although that is not a hard and fast rule. You can today find a lot of great sandals and heels at sections dedicated especially to weddings at most footwear shops.

Make Up and hair

Get yourself waxed and threaded if you must well in advance. Don’t leave it for the last moment, especially if you have sensitive skin that is prone to breaking out or getting red after waxing. Most experts agree that you should let your best feature shine while doing your face. If you think your eyes are your best asset, work on them and go easy on the rest of the face. If you are going to apply red lipstick, don’t overdo the eyes. Keep them simple with kajal and thin eyeliner. Also, make sure you pick a foundation shade that is closest to your natural skin color for best results so your face doesn’t look unnaturally made up. As for your hair, you can either opt for an elaborate updo or simply leave it down. But make certain that your hair isn’t frizzy and dry- use a smoothening conditioner – or excessively oily- wash it before the function you have to attend.